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Iran Parliament Divided Over Ahmadinejad

By DAVID BLAIR
The Daily Telegraph
March 17, 2008

TEHRAN, Iran -- The balance of power inside Iran grew more volatile
yesterday when supporters and critics of President Ahmadinejad won
roughly equal representation in parliament.

Hard-liners will dominate the new "Majlis," but the House will
probably be split down the middle over Mr. Ahmadinejad's fitness to
rule.

With 190 of the 290 seats declared, Mr Ahmadinejad's supporters had
taken 67. His conservative critics, who blame him for Iran's economic
troubles, won 46. His opponents among Iran's liberal reformers --
roughly 90% of whose candidates were prevented from running -- took 30
seats.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader, hailed the result as a
"blow" against the "craft and cunning" of Iran's "enemies." He will
maximize his own authority by arbitrating between the hardline
factions.

Despite Mr. Ahmadinejad's high profile, all vital decisions in foreign
and domestic policy are taken by the supreme leader. From his office
in Tehran, Mr. Khamenei presides over a web of control, which amounts
to a state within a state. In theory, Iran's government departments
are run by ministers chosen by the president. In practice, the supreme
leader has representatives in each ministry who answer directly to
him.